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Robingrace said:
Thank you, without a doubt there will be questions! This is such a warm and welcoming community ~ so grateful to have all this support!

Still figuring out how to use the site effectively, so forgive if the response is technically sloppy. We will brood them inside for now, have a good sized animal watering tub that looks like it will work nicely, keeping it in our living room, it is the warmest room in the house. Find now that the day has come to pick them up I'm feeling nervous. This is the first day they are available at the feed store and I heard the first 48 hours after shipping they are more likely to expire. Hope we get lucky and get strong healthy chicks...:bow
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What will you be using as a heater for them? They need to have an area of the brooder that is 95-98 degrees the first week.
 
ValerieJ said:
What will you be using as a heater for them? They need to have an area of the brooder that is 95-98 degrees the first week.
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Hi Valerie, we have a heat lamp with a red light, have a thermometer, thank you for checking. Temperature seems to be working for them. One with a little pasty butt, she is all cleaned up and I saw her poop, which was a big relief. We put some all purpose sand in for them and they really love it, but it worries me a little because they seem to be more into the sand than the food. Have made some fermented food for them from an organic chick starter. They are pecking at it more and more as the day goes on. To encourage them more I sprinkled some of the dry food lightly on top. Any thoughts on this?
 
Robingrace said:
Hi Valerie, we have a heat lamp with a red light, have a thermometer, thank you for checking. Temperature seems to be working for them. One with a little pasty butt, she is all cleaned up and I saw her poop, which was a big relief. We put some all purpose sand in for them and they really love it, but it worries me a little because they seem to be more into the sand than the food. Have made some fermented food for them from an organic chick starter. They are pecking at it more and more as the day goes on. To encourage them more I sprinkled some of the dry food lightly on top. Any thoughts on this?
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Sprinkling food around for babies is a great way to teach them where the food is kept. Tapping with your finger like you are eating it entices them.

I would not give babies full access to sand as they will eat it thinking it's food and this will kill them. You do not need grit until you start feeding other things besides chick starter. And when you do add sand, sprinkling it like you are salting food is best for babies until they learn what is food and what isn't food.
 
TwoCrows said:
Sprinkling food around for babies is a great way to teach them where the food is kept. Tapping with your finger like you are eating it entices them.

I would not give babies full access to sand as they will eat it thinking it's food and this will kill them. You do not need grit until you start feeding other things besides chick starter. And when you do add sand, sprinkling it like you are salting food is best for babies until they learn what is food and what isn't food.
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Thanks for that information @TwoCrows. I didn't know this. I've heard several people here put sand in their brooder. I just responded differently and deleted it after I read yours. Hope no one read it. :rolleyes:

I use pine shavings in my brooder and the only problem I've had with it is they fling it into their food and water, so I'm cleaning it all the time.
 
Robingrace said:
Hi Valerie, we have a heat lamp with a red light, have a thermometer, thank you for checking. Temperature seems to be working for them. One with a little pasty butt, she is all cleaned up and I saw her poop, which was a big relief. We put some all purpose sand in for them and they really love it, but it worries me a little because they seem to be more into the sand than the food. Have made some fermented food for them from an organic chick starter. They are pecking at it more and more as the day goes on. To encourage them more I sprinkled some of the dry food lightly on top. Any thoughts on this?
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TwoCrows said:
Sprinkling food around for babies is a great way to teach them where the food is kept. Tapping with your finger like you are eating it entices them.

I would not give babies full access to sand as they will eat it thinking it's food and this will kill them. You do not need grit until you start feeding other things besides chick starter. And when you do add sand, sprinkling it like you are salting food is best for babies until they learn what is food and what isn't food.
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Thank you, SO important for me to know this!
 
ValerieJ said:
Thanks for that information @TwoCrows. I didn't know this. I've heard several people here put sand in their brooder. I just responded differently and deleted it after I read yours. Hope no one read it. :rolleyes:

I use pine shavings in my brooder and the only problem I've had with it is they fling it into their food and water, so I'm cleaning it all the time.
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The fact that some people use sand in their brooders was why I thought it was okay too, but when I saw how they were going after it, it made me wonder. Better to play it safe. Appreciate all your thoughts!
 

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